Exactly
by GhostofYou
Summary: In your eyes I could've gotten stronger.But nothing was good enough for you. I look at my life, and all I see is the vision you wanted me to live. I could be exactly like you wanted me to be. The life of Itachi Uchiha before and during the massacre.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own pizza. I don't own the world. I don't own NARUTO!

"Speak"

'Think'

**Song**

_Flashback

* * *

_

Exactly

"Come on Itachi, I know you can do better than that!" bellowed the elder Uchiha to his seven year old son. Together they were at the Uchiha training grounds preparing for Itachi's important day that would soon be arriving.

_Swish! Thud! Swish! Thud! Swish! Thud!_

With the flick of his wrist, Itachi sent three shuriken flying toward the targets. As the three weapons hit the targets simultaneously, he saw that they landed at what looked like dead center of the bull's eye. Putting a small smirk on his face, he looked up expectantly to his father waiting for his praise.

Fugaku Uchiha opened his mouth, but it was not something that Itachi expected to hear. "Itachi! Honestly, how can I expect you to pass your graduation exam when your form is set up wrong? Not only that, your aim is also horrendous!"

**I could be mean**

Itachi's heart sank to the floor, and could almost feel the tears brimming over his eyelashes. "But father, I hit the bull's eye."

His father merely grunted hardly paying attention to what his son had just said to him. He walked over to the targets and examined each shuriken carefully. Finally after a moment of silence, he motioned for Itachi to come to his side. Obediently, Itachi came over to his father and looked at the spot where his father was pointing at. "You see this?" Fugaku said pointing to on of the targets with a shuriken. "This is how the others looked like exactly. They were each one centimeter off center."

**I could be angry**

Shocked at his father's hypercritical attitude, Itachi spoke up, "But father I hit the bull's eye. What matter is it if I hit center or not?"

Fugaku harshly laughed at his ignorant question, "Of course it matters. One centimeter can determine whether you kill or just injure your opponent. As Uchihas we have to be precise to keep our high reputation. Now since you were off, I want you to stay at the training grounds until you've reached perfection, and I don't want to see you home until then. Do you understand?" Itachi did not answer his father for he could feel a burning heat inside of him. "I said. Do. You. Understand?"

It was then that Itachi figured out what the burning heat inside of him was. It was his anger boiling inside of him begging to be let out. He tried his best to keep himself calm and gritted through his teeth. "Yes. I. Understand."

"Good, I expect to see you home soon." Fugaku began walking in the direction of the Uchiha household.

'Yes, father I do understand.'

  
**You know I could be just like you

* * *

**

"Where is that boy?" Fugaku fumed to his loving wife, Mikoto. "How hard is it to grasp the concept of hitting a bull's eye?"

Mikoto sighed at her husband's crazy antics and was about to speak when she heard the door creak open. Into the kitchen came a panting Itachi grasping onto the wall. "Itachi!" She was about to run over to her son, but she was stopped by her husband's arm blocking her way. Mikoto pushed his arm away, and made her way over to Itachi, but heard that Sasuke had woken up and began to cry. She gave a worried expression at the two before turning to care for little Sasuke's needs.

Fugaku silently watched his wife leave, and waited a moment before starting to speak to Itachi. "Itachi look at the clock. It's already eight o'clock. You've been out there for three hours. I didn't expect you to take this long."

Itachi inhaled sharply before answering his father, and looked at him in the eye. "I was preoccupied."

"Preoccupied with what?"

The seven year old turned his back towards his father while he sarcastically spoke, "Trying to get everything perfect." And without anything else to say, Itachi left his father in the kitchen.

**I could be fake**

Itachi was about to walk to his room, but he passed the room where his mother was taking care of Sasuke. He stopped his tracks, and walked inside. His mother was busy holding the bundle in her arms rocking him to sleep. It wasn't until Itachi took a seat next to his mother that she actually took note of his presence.

Still looking at Sasuke, Mikoto told her son in a gentle tone, "Don't worry about your father. He really loves you." Itachi scoffed at the word 'love' and Mikoto chuckled. "Yes, although it doesn't seem like it, he does love you."

"Then why does he push me so hard?"

She sighed, for she did not know the answer as well, but she had an idea. "He pushes you hard because he wants you to strive to be the best. Your father wants you to best because he wants you to grow up to be a great leader one day, and not only protect our clan, but also the village."

Itachi could almost understand his father's actions towards him, but he still felt that it was unfair by the way he was treated. However, his mother's words did give him some consolation. "Mother?"

"Hmm?"

"If I graduate from the academy, will you be there?"

Mikoto laughed at Itachi's question, "Of course I'll be there. And don't worry you will graduate. It's in your blood."

**  
I could be stupid**

Itachi also wanted to ask the other question, but he felt ashamed of thinking about it. "How about father? Will he be there too?"

His mother gasped at Itachi's insolence, "Itachi what kind of question is that? He will be there I'm sure of it. What made you think that he wasn't going to?"

"I wasn't going to what?" The two of them turned around to see Fugaku leaning by the doorway eavesdropping on their conversation. "Well?"

Mikoto laughed a light hearted laugh. The one Itachi always enjoyed hearing. "Oh, Itachi was just wondering if you were going to see him when he graduated. But I know we will, right?"

But what surprised Itachi was the awkward pause his father made. He hesitated before giving his answer, "Of course we'll be there."

"See? What did I tell you Itachi? We will be there." His mother said reassuringly.

Although his mother's words gave Itachi some comfort, he could feel the dim feeling of doubt that wasn't going away. It was as if it was a candle burning on the last bits of oxygen it could burn in side of him.

'Will you really be there?'

**  
You know I could be just like you

* * *

**

Just as Itachi's mother predicted, he did pass his graduation exam. He graduated at the top of his class, and he knew that his whole family would be proud.

The test was a piece of cake. All academy students had to take a written test, which Itachi thought to be fairly easy. After the time limit ended for the test, each student was individually called into a room where they would be tested on the techniques they've learned.

Many students felt the prick of nervousness as their name was called to finally enter the room, of course, not Itachi. This test consisted of attempting Henge no Jutsu and Bunshin no Jutsu. (Tranformation Jutsu and Clone Jutsu) Itachi knew that he was going to pass because he already knew how to do Katon Jutsus.

So when he received his hitai-ate, he put it on his forehead for everyone to see that he was now officiall a ninja. As everyone finished the test, the Chunin instructors, opened the school doors on their last day at the academy.

Students gatthered outside the door showing off their hitai-ates to their friends, and otheres, like Itachi looked outside to the crowd to see if their parents came as promised.

**You thought you were standing beside me**

As the other Genin saw their parents, they excitedly ran over to their parents presenting their new rank in Konoha. As the time flew by, Itachi still could not see his parents in the crowd. Then he heard a voice coming from behind him. He turned around and saw that it was his best friend, Shisui Uchiha. Itachi saw that he also passed his test, and felt a tinge of happiness despite his sadness towards his parents no being there yet.

"Look Itachi! I also passed my exam too!" Shisui pointed to his own hitai-ate, but then his finger pointed in the direction behind Itachi. "Oh, look who's here!"

Itachi whirled around hoping to find his mother and father behind him waiting for him to tell them that he passed and became a Genin. Unfortunately, it wasn't his parents waiting happily for him, but it was Shisui's. Shisui ran passed Itachi, and went over to his parents giving them a huge embrace, and waved goodbye to Itachi.

"Bye, Itachi! See you tomorrow!"

**  
You were only in my way**

Soon, an hour had already passed, and everyone left the academy ground except for Itachi. The sun was about to set, and he decided that he could not wait any longer for his parents to show up. He slowly trudged to the Uchiha grounds, and went inside his home.

Inside his house, he noticed that there was no light, except for the dim flashes of sunlight coming through the window. The household looked deserted, and Itachi couldn't find any trace of his parents or Sasuke. He ran around the house searching for the, but he couldn't find them anywhere, It was then that he searched in the kitchen the he saw a note sitting on the kitchen table.

Itachi picked up the note. And read it a couple of times before crumpling and lacerating it into pieces.

'_Dear Itachi,_

_We just received the news that you graduated the exam at the top of your class. We are really proud of you, and we are sorry that we couldn't congratulate you personally. The reason why we didn't see you was because the Hokage notified us that we had a mission, and the mission had to come first. If you're wondering where Sasuke is, he is safe with Teyaki and Uruchi. If you want you can stay with them while we are gone. We won't be home for about a week. Take care._

_From, _

_Mother and Father_

_P.S. While we are away, I expect you to be training as hard as you can. You are now a Genin, and I'm expecting a lot from you. Father.'_

**  
You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you**

Itachi felt the anger held within him growing stronger and stronger with each passing second. He felt betrayed by his own parents. He did not only feel anger towards his father, but now his mother also. The mission was _obviously _more important to himself. His mother even promised that they would be there, but he realized that everything was a lie filled with empty promises.

'There's no one I can trust. Only myself.'

* * *

**You thought you were there to guide me**

"But I've already mastered the Sharingan! Why do I still need to train with you?!" A year passed since the graduation exam, and Itachi's relationship with his father hadn't gotten any better.

Fugaku was tired of Itachi's disrespectful manner, and firmly said back, "Because I want you to get stronger. You are slowly being regarded as the clan's best ninja, but that's not enough. The Uchiha clan is Konoha's most highly regarded clan, and we must protect the village as our duty. If you train harder, and get stronger you will be the pipe that connects the village to the clan."

Itachi stayed silent. He was the pipe connecting the clan to the village? Why did his father entrust so much power on himself? And what about Sasuke? 'All he ever cares about is me.'

**  
You were only in my way**

"Itachi."

He looked up from the ground to his father, and saw that he was in his fighting stance. "Activate your Sharingan and see if you can copy these jutsus. These are none you have ever seen before, and I want to see if you truly mastered the Sharingan" Itachi activated his Sharingan, and his eyes went from onyx to red with three fully evolved tomoe in each.

"Ready?" Itachi gave a brief grunt, and his father began. He watched his father's movements carefully to each exact detail to make sure that he could copy the moves precisely.

**  
You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you**

His father did many complicated Katon jutsus that Itachi has never seen before, and as the last blaze of fire diminished, his father stopped and waited for Itachi to do the same.

Itachi inhaled, and copied all of his father's jutsus to each meager detail. However when it came to the last jutsu, the Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu (Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu), he got carried away.

When Fugaku preformed this jutsu to Itachi, he did not make the fireball bigger than one meter. But Itachi was pushing the envelope when the fireball exceeded two meters. "Itachi stop!" Fugaku yelled to his son, but he did not listen. Itachi wanted to prove to his father that was strong.

"Itachi!" But the fire did not cease. To put out the fire, Fugaku used Suiton: Bakusui Shōha (Water Release: Exploding Water Shockwave), and sent a huge wave coming towards Itachi. When the wave subsided, Itachi was left on the soaking grass, draggled with mud.

**  
You thought you were there to guide me**

"Itachi, I told you to copy me. Not exceed your limit!" Fugaku was furious. Itachi could not only have hurt them both, but burn down the whole Uchiha grounds!

"Father, I just wanted to show you that I am already strong, you do not need to train me as hard. And today is an important say for Sasuke. You should go and see him in his entrance ceremony at the academy." Itachi said remebering that today Sasuke was enrolling intot he academy to learn the basic skills of a ninja. It was only last year that Itachi had graduated the exam with the best score. But his father had still yet to congradulate him personally.

Fugaku paused at Itachi's words and rose his hand. And with one seift movement, he struck Itachi across the face. It wasn't a hard slap, but it was enough to make Itachi stumble back to the ground. The eight year old lost the wind in his chest as he fell to the ground. His eyes widened at his father's actions and rubbed his right cheek, that now turned a sahde of red.

**  
You were only in my way**

"Foolish boy, you think you are strong enough? You weren't even able to block my hand! Sasuke doesn't need me to be there right now. It is you that needs to be trained harder. Now get up you must train."

Itachi did as he was told and got up to his feet. The sting on his cheek had not yet gone away, and the heat on his cheek was irritating him.

His father looked down at him once more with a scrutinizing expression. "Next time I tell you something, you follow my orders. When I say copy me exactly, I mean copy me exactly. That little stunt you pulled of there wasn't wise, and you could've put the whole clan ion danger. I told you that are to be the pipe of the clan. When someone tells you to follow orders, you follow them. Don't question or disobey. Set up a good example for everyone. Think of the clan, think of your brother, think of the whole village. It is up to you."

"Yes father."

**  
You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you

* * *

**

A man was walking down the streets of Konoha, but this was not just some ordinary man. It was an ANBU fully dressed in his white and black armor, arm guards, and his spiral tattoo showing off to the crowd. The weasel porcelain mask hid the ANBU's face to the world to conceal his identity. However, although this man was an ANBU he wasn't as tall as all the rest of the ANBUS in Konoha.

Maybe because this wasn't just an ordinary ANBU either. He happened to be the youngest ANBU squad captain at the age of thirteen. And who is this man you may ask? It was Itachi Uchiha.

**I could be cold**

Even though the porcelain mask hid Itachi's true face, the people around him couldn't help, but stare at the mysterious person walking about the streets. His eyes could be seen from outside, and they revealed cold, and almost lifeless eyes to the world. No one ever seemed to want to talk to him, and Itachi thought that it was better that way.

Over the past five years, he's had his share of missions, and each of them had been a success. He was considered as Konoha's strongest ninja's asides from the Hokage.

**  
I could be ruthless**

His name was known all over the world, and when people saw his weasel mask, they knew that it was a futile attempt. If his name wasn't known, it was his mask that made criminals cower in fear.

Missing-nins and S-class criminals would always recognize the ANBU. Itachi was known for his merciless slaughter when it came to killing criminals. Not only that, his Sharingan also caused people to fear his own power. And to think, this is all in the hands of a thirteen year old.

**  
You know I could be just like you**

With of his accomplishments, his father still wanted more, and this made Itachi sick. He's been more anti-social toward the people around him, but he was still friends with Shisui. Itachi was walking towards his home, when he saw Sasuke practice throwing shuriken. It reminded him of himself six years ago, except Sasuke wasn't as skilled as he was.

Sasuke wasn't as skilled as he was when he was seven, and their father didn't really pay much attention to Sasuke's well being. All he ever cared about was Itachi's career. Itachi considered Sasuke lucky for not having to endure their father's pushes to being the strongest.

Itachi didn't notice that he stopped in the middle of the street still watching Sasuke practice. Just at that moment Sasuke noticed the consistent stare of his brother's eyes, and ran to greet his older brother.

"Brother!" Itachi looked down to his sibling. Sasuke was panting and his face was sweating from the training he's been doing since he started. Since they were already in the Uchiha grounds, Itachi decided to take off his weasel mask revealing a much more mature man. "Brother, can you help me train throwing shuriken?"

The elder Uchiha stared down at Sasuke. "Not today Sasuke, I'm busy. Go ask Father."

Sasuke's eyes drooped as his spirits deflated. "But Father says you are better at throwing them, and I also think that too. Why don't you ever help me?"

**I could be weak**

Itachi bent his legs to be equal with Sasuke's height. For a moment, they just stayed in that position looking directly at one another. But Itachi raised his left hand reaching toward Sasuke's head. Sasuke felt nervousness take over him, and he closed his eyes tightly waiting for a hit. The hand stuck the fore and middle finger and stopped a centimeter in front of Sasuke's forehead. Then with little force, Itachi touched his skin and pushed his head back only a bit.

Sasuke opened his eyes, and rubbed his forehead. It wasn't like the poke hurt, but it always bothered Sasuke. Itachi stood up "Forgive me, Sasuke. Maybe I'll help you another time." He turned around, and began walking with Sasuke to their house.

Sasuke broke the silence between the two, "Why do you always say, 'Forgive me, Sasuke' when you hit my forehead? And it wasn't just today you didn't help me, it's all the time."

**  
I could be senseless**

Itachi stopped his walk, and Sasuke looked back at him. "Sorry Sasuke, I'm just too busy." He lifted his foot to begin walking again, but Sasuke stepped in front of him blocking his path.

Sasuke had a determined look in his eyes, and gazed up at his older brother. "Brother, one day I'm going to be as strong as you. I want to be exactly like you."

What Sasuke just told Itachi caught him off guard. How could Sasuke want to be just like me? Sasuke was looked like Itachi, but he was nothing like him. Although he wasn't as strong as Itachi, he was at least living happily. Although Sasuke felt as if his father didn't pay much attention to him, Itachi knew that Sasuke was living the better life. He just didn't know it.

Sasuke didn't know what it was like being pushed so hard by his father to be the strongest shinobi in the whole village. He didn't know what it's like to feel the whole clan expecting so much of you that it feels like your suffocating. And most of all, Sasuke didn't know the burning hatred that Itachi's kept inside himself for the clan ever since he was young.

**  
You know I could be just like you**

Itachi walked around Sasuke, and left him behind, but Sasuke quickened his pace, and caught up with him. "You don't believe I can do it, do you?" There was no response, so Sasuke continued to talk. "Well, one day I will be as strong as you, and maybe even more, and the whole clan will be proud of me!"

But Itachi paid no attention to Sasuke's speech, and he could begin to see the Uchiha household coming into view. The two stayed silent for the rest of their walk, and when they finally reached their house, they were greeted by their mother.

Sasuke jovially sprinted towards his mother, and hugged her hello. Mikoto returned the warm embrace back by bending down, and then she stood up to meet Itachi. However, Itachi did not say hello or give a welcome to his mother. He just walked past the two without a single word to both of them. As her son walked away, Mikoto looked at him dejectedly. She felt an uneasiness towards her son; lately he has been acting….strange.

**You thought you were standing beside me**

Itachi continued walking down the hallway, and he planned on looking at the Uchiha scrolls. After all, hid father _did _want him to be the strongest. He reached the room where all the ancient scrolls were held.

He spent an hour looking through them, but he didn't find anything that would make him any stronger. Itachi was just ready to put the scroll back where he found them, but then he saw something on the back of the shelf where the scrolls were kept. There was a scroll covered in dust hidden all the way in the back where no one would notice it.

Itachi put down all the other materials, and reached for the one lodged in the back. When he took it out, dust flew in all directions; coughing, Itachi set the scroll down on the table. The scroll was very old, and he carefully rolled it open. When it was finally rolled out, the words were covered by dust, making it difficult to read. So Itachi wiped it off the best he could to finally see what secrets this scroll had.

The paper which the words were written on was faded yellow, and the black ink was also fading to grey. Itachi could barely read it, but it was just enough to for him to decipher it. After looking it over a couple times, Itachi was shocked at the results. He read it once more, and smirked to himself. Not many Uchihas ever attempted this new technique, but Itachi wasn't afraid. No, Itachi would do it, even if it meant…..doing that.

"What are you doing son?" Itachi turned around, and saw his father standing by the doorway. His father began walking toward him, and Itachi hid what he found under a different scroll without his father noticing.

**You were only in my way**

Fugaku looked over Itachi's shoulder and saw the scroll, "Ah, I see you're looking at the Katon: Karyū Endan (Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Missile). The B-rank technique is one you already know, are you trying to improve on it?"

"Well, you do want me to be the _strongest _shinobi of of village," Itachi retorted back.

Impressed by his response, Fugaku patted Itachi's back, but he cringed at the touch. "That's right, you are the backbone of the clan. So I'm just going to leave you alone now. I hope you make the clan proud."

When Fugaku finally left, Itachi took the Katon: Karyū Endan off of the reall scroll he was reading. Examining all the procedures he had to take to gain this new ability, he rolled it back into a neat scroll, and hid it in the back of the shelf where no one would find it.

'Don't worry Father, I'll definitely make someone proud'

**You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you

* * *

**

It was a bright sunny day, and three members of the Konoha Military Police Force were scouting the area. Mainly, the Uchiha area. Since the Uchiha clan did found this organization, it seems reasonable for them to scout their land in Konoha. The three members just so happened to be fellow Uchihas: Tekka, Inabi, and Yashiro. Their designation to scout was by the river, but they were all weary with the lack of excitement on this particular day.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary for them, it was the usual dullness of being in the Police Force. It was only on rare occasions that there was actually some action. They were about to head back to headquarters when Tekka noticed something floating down river, "Wait! Look, there's something in the river!"

All three officers ran to the river, and saw that it wasn't _something _floating in the river but _someone_. Tekka, Inabi, and Yashiro focused their eyes on the cold lifeless floating body. Each of them was glued to the ground unable to move. The carcass in the water had a familiar look to it, but they weren't sure who this person was. Being the oldest out of the three, Yashiro thought that it was his duty to see whose body it was.

Slowly descending his body into the river, he paused before turning the body. As his hands gripped the wet clothing, he flipped it over to reveal its face, he gave a horrified gasp. Yashiro couldn't believe what happened to him, and his body began to shake at the sight of the body.

Inabi noticed Yashiro's odd behavior and ran into the river. Reaching the water, Inabi was slowly running to Yashiro's side. The river was still running down, so he pumped chakra to his legs. "What is it Yashiro? Who does the body belong to?" Tekka also followed suit, and slowly made his way to both of the other Uchihas.

Yashiro took a sharp breath of air, and turned around to face Tekka and Inabi. "I-It's Shisui Uchiha."

**You thought you were there to guide me

* * *

**

Fugaku was walking down the streets in the Uchiha grounds heading to the headquarters of the Konoha Military Police Force, and he heard the normal whispers of people talking within the clan. But today, it seemed like the whispers multiplied and grew louder. In the voices he heard surprise and shock.

"So, did you hear the news?"

"Yeah, can you believe it? Three Konoha Military Police found Shisui's body drowned in the river!"

"It's so sad; he died so young."

"I wonder how the parents are taking the news."

  
**You were only in my way**

Fugaku rushed to the headquarters; he couldn't believe the news. 'Shisui died? How could this be?' The headquarters was only a few meters away, but before he entered the building, two other officers greeted him outside.

"Good morning Fugaku-sama," both said in unison.

"Good morning, but what's this I hear about Shisui's body being found in the river?" Fugaku said in desperation.

The two officers began to look serious, and one of them said, "Come in Fugaku-sama. We'll talk about this inside."

The three of them walked up the stairs to enter the building, and Fugaku was led in the hallway to the meeting room. Inside, he was greeted by another leading officer. "Nobu, what happened to Shisui Uchiha?" Fugaku said immediately. The other officers exited the room leaving the two to talk.

Nobu sighed, and sat down and Fugaku followed. "This morning while Tekka, Inabi, and Yashiro were scouting near the river they found a body."

"And this body happened to belong to Shisui." Fugaku interrupted.

"Precisely. They were all surprised at the fact that the body actually belonged to Shisui. He was the last person they'd expect to commit suicide."

Shocked, Fugaku rose to his feet, "So it wasn't a murder?"

Nobu clasped his two hands together and rest his chin on them, "Well, we're not exactly sure. There was a note found in his jacket stating that he wished to die because he couldn't bear life on Earth any longer. However, we had a reason to doubt that this incident was actually a murder."

"Why?"

"Some of the circumstances behind the suicide, and the suicide note seemed off. So, I've sent the three people who found the body to question someone."

Fugaku took a seat once more and felt curious to who was to be interrogated. "Really? Who?"

Nobu paused before answering, "Itachi Uchiha."

**  
You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you

* * *

**

Itachi was standing outside his house when he saw three people coming in his direction. From the look of their uniforms, he confirmed that they were part of the police force. He also could figure out from their facial expressions that they weren't here for a friendly talk. They reached Itachi's spot, and one of them started to talk.

"Hello, Itachi-sama, I am Tekka Uchiha, and this is Inabi and Yashiro Uchiha. We came here to ask you something."

Itachi wasn't sure what they were talking about, but deep down he had a feeling that he knew. "What do you have to ask me?"

Inabi stepped up to the stand, "Have you heard about Shisui's suicide? I can't believe he would drown himself, can you?"

"No."

"And doesn't it seem weird how he just decided to kill himself now? He seemed pretty happy with his life." Yashiro added.

Itachi could feel what was going to be asked next, but he had to make sure, "Officers, why are you telling me this?"

None of them wanted to talk, but Inabi gulped and told him, "We just wanted to ask you if you know anything about Shisui's death. You were his best friend and all, am I right?"

**  
You thought you were there to guide me**

Itachi knew it. They didn't say it openly, but they believed that he was the one who killed him. He felt anger towards them, and he started to ask questions himself. "So who do you think killed Shisui? You obviously don't believe that it was suicide, do you? And you think that the killer was me, right?" None of them answered his questions. "Tell me the truth!" He said with malice.

Tekka bravely stood up, but he stuttered as he spoke, "E-ever since you joined the ANBU six moths ago, your behavior has been very strange."

Yashiro didn't feel fear, and confronted him directly, "Itachi, if you don't begin to tell the truth, we'll have to force it out of you." But before any of them could prepare for anything, Itachi effortlessly attacked the three men to the ground.

The three men were on the ground clutching there sides, coughing trying to regain their breath. They looked up at the Uchiha in fear of what was going to happen next. Without any further notice, Itachi picked up Inabi from the collar of his shirt above the ground. "Who told you to keep an eye on me?" Inabi didn't respond to Itachi's question, which angered him even more. "Tell me!" Itachi growled, trying to shake the truth out of the feeble officer.

It wasn't Inabi who answered the question, but a raspy voice from the ground caught Itachi's attention. "W-wait. I know who wanted us look out for you." Tekka was the one -unable to move- who answered Itachi. His body was aching all over, but nothing stopped him from telling the truth. Itachi turned his attention away from Inabi, and roughly through him to the ground causing him to groan in pain.

Itachi walked to Tekka's position, "Who was it?"

**  
You were only in my way**

Before answering Tekka coughed out blood, "I-It was Shisui himself. H-He noticed your strange behavior, and wanted us to keep an eye on you." With nothing left in him, Tekka's head hit the floor and fell into a state of unconsciousness.

'So it was Shisui' His anger took its toll, so Itachi was about to take the katana from his back to finish the job. But he was interrupted be his father frantically getting to the scene.

"Itachi! What are you doing?" Fugaku reached Itachi who was just about ready to take his katana and kill the officers. Itachi put back his katana, but he did not look at or answer his father. "What is wrong with you? You know they're no the only ones who've noticed your bizarre behavior, I've noticed it too."

Itachi kept his head down, fists clenching, and teeth grinding trying stop himself from losing control. He needed to stay calm, now was not the time. His father kept nagging him about his behavior, and in the midst of their quarrel, they did not notice Sasuke coming up to the house shocked at the sight before him.

Sasuke was used to the fights between his brother and father, but it was never like this. He saw three men on the ground unconscious, and his brother wasn't doing anything about it. His father was trying to talk to Itachi, but he was paying no attention. Everything was scaring him, but what caused him fear the most was his brother's eyes. They didn't look like they normally do, solemn but approachable. Now they looked blood thirsty, ready for the kill. Sasuke felt powerless to the sight happening right in front of him, so all he could say was the muffled whisper of "Stop."

But the tow men didn't hear his silent pleas to stop their fighting. Fugaku continued without any further ado. "Have you heard about Shisui's death? Of course you have, that's why these men were here weren't they? And that is why assaulted them, your superiors."

"Stop"

"Do you realize what you've done? Itachi why did you do this?" Fugaku tried his hardest to reach out to his son, but there was no avail. His only hope was to firmly tell him, "Itachi, tell me right now!"

"Stop"

**  
You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you**

Itachi turned around facing his father to finally speak, "You want to know why I did it? Well here's the reason. I did it because I've lost all hope for this _pathetic _clan."

Fugaku was bewildered at Itachi's response, "W-what?"

"Stop"

Itachi smirked at his father's astonishment, "You heard me. There is no hope for this clan. Always holding me back, never letting me show my true potential."

Sasuke couldn't take it anymore. There was no more silent pleading, "Stop!" The two older Uchihas looked down to Sasuke. "Please, stop." He said in desperation.

Itachi went back in the direction of the house, but before completely leaving he had one last thing to say. "I'm sorry Sasuke. Please forgive me."

* * *

**On my own, cause I can't take living with you**

Itachi was standing on the post on the Uchiha grounds. It was dark, not source of light could be found anywhere. It you were to look there right now, you would probably think that everyone was asleep, but there was a secret mission going on there. It wasn't like any other mission Itachi's been on, no, this was a secret that Sasuke would soon discover. 'Almost done, just one last task that I need to accomplish.'

At that moment, Itachi spotted Sasuke's little body running back from his training. For a moment Sasuke sensed something, and looked up in Itachi's direction. But just as Sasuke blinked his eyes shut, Itachi moved on to his next target. Mother and Father.

Itachi stealthily went into his home; there was no trace of light in there also. His mother, and father were in their room, and Itachi stood in front of the door that set the barrier between his parents and himself. He opened the door with such silence that Mikoto and Fugaku did not notice the door creak open.

From the looks of it, they were getting ready for a battle. It was a wonder why they did not come out, and try to defeat Itachi carelessly like all the others did. They're probably thinking that be hiding, they can sneak up on the attacker. Too bad they didn't know that attacker was their own flesh and blood, their eldest son. Itachi.

Mikoto and Fugaku's back was facing in Itachi's direction, so it was the time to strike. Itachi crept up behind them and slowly took his katana from its safe case, and rose it above his head. Itachi had only one last goodbye to say to his parents before it was their time, "Goodbye, Mother and Father."

It was then that the tow finally saw their son behind their backs. "Itachi, wh-" But that was all they could blurt out because with one swift move, Itachi slashed his katana across his parents' bodies.

_Thump! Thump!_

And as the cold silver blade made contact with their skin, Fugaku and Mikoto could only wonder, 'Why?' But alas, they could not be given an answer to what everyone is asking because the interaction with the katana killed them instantly. Their cold bodies hit the wooden floor, and the ruby red color of blood that Itachi yearned to see oozed from their wounds.

**  
I'm alone, so I won't turn out like you want me to**

It was then that Itachi heard the front door open and Sasuke entering the house calling for Mother and Father. The footsteps were making faint taps on the ground revealing that Sasuke was searching everywhere for his missing parents. There was no doubt that he already saw the dead bodies of the rest of the clan. In a matter of time Sasuke would soon search in the parents' room and find the sin Itachi committed.

_Tap! Tap! Tap!_

The faint taps were getting louder and closer each time Sasuke searched in each room. Itachi quickly hid behind the shadows waiting for his brother's arrival. Now the taps were getting faster and louder than before showing signs of distress

_Tap-tap! Tap-tap! Tap-tap!_

But suddenly the taps stopped; the faint calling ceased, all there was left was silence. Itachi could sense Sasuke's faint chakra outside the door contemplating whether or not to open the door.

'Come on Sasuke, open the door.'

**You thought you were standing beside me**

As if Sasuke read his mind, he opened the door and ran inside. What he found stopped him in his tracks because he saw his two loving parents bodies splattered with blood laying on the ground. "Mother? Father?"

It was then that Itachi began to emerge from the shadows revealing his face to Sasuke. He looked up to his older brother in hope with a slight feeling of confusion. "Brother, Mother and Father were-. They were-. Brother, why? I don't understand. Who did this?"

But Itachi said nothing, instead he threw a shuriken at Sasuke hitting the door behind him. It seemed like he missed the target, but a ripping noise proved that the shuriken indeed grazed Sasuke's skin. A little blood dripped from the small wound, as Sasuke winced in pain. "Brother, what are you….What are you doing?" Sasuke paused massaging his shoulder to ease the pain.

Sasuke looked at his brother, eyes full of fear waiting for his brother to speak and say something to him. Itachi opened his mouth, "Foolish little brother." Itachi activated his Sharingan, glowing red, but Sasuke saw something different in Itachi's form of Sharingan. "Mangekyo Sharingan."

**  
You were only in my way**

Just as Itachi said those words, Sasuke was whizzed off into a different world. It was a world where the skies glowed in red. It was in the color of red, that it reminded Sasuke of all the blood, the blood covering everywhere in the Uchiha grounds. The blood he saw on his clan, the blood he saw on the walls, and the blood dripping from his parents' lifeless bodies.

Just as Itachi said those words, Sasuke was whizzed off into a different world. It was a world where the skies glowed in red. It was in the color of red, that it reminded Sasuke of all the blood, the blood covering everywhere in the Uchiha grounds. The blood he saw on his clan, the blood he saw on the walls, and the blood dripping from his parents' lifeless bodies.

Sasuke was standing in the middle of the streets; fear crept through his veins pumping through his body. He tried to move and leave this horrifying place, but his feet seemed to be glue to the dirt ground. He was alone in the alley, unaware of where his exact location.

He looked around and automatically knew where he was. He was in the middle of the Uchiha street. He knew because of the Uchiha insignia painted all over the buildings. Despite the dismal appearance and solitude, Sasuke thought everything looked fine. There was not blood, no bodies, no nothing, just himself without a trace of anything. Funny, it looked like the Uchiha area before Sasuke came back.

**  
You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you**

But then Sasuke saw something fall. Then another and another. It was the bodies of his clan falling to the ground awaiting their death. The metallic stench of fresh blood filled Sasuke's senses. He was getting dizzy. He was getting frightened.

The bodies were falling all around him, threatening to squash him if he was in the way. Sasuke's eyes began to water. The stench, the sight, and the feeling were too overwhelming. He tried to pry his legs off the ground with no success. He saw more and more bodies dying around him, and he was unable to prevent this from happening. His head felt like jackhammer pounding through his skull. "STOP! BROTHER! PLEASE, STOP! BROTHER! DON'T SHOW ME THIS!"

Then out of nowhere, Sasuke sees Itachi in front of him watching his every move. "Why? Why are you showing me this?" Sasuke pleaded to his brother.

**You thought you were there to guide me  
**

"No…No… Brother…Don't" More Uchihas came charging at Itachi, but once they came too close they were flung into the air raining around Sasuke. Sasuke could move his legs and saw Teyaki and Uruchi standing next to him. "Uncle, Auntie." But with a slash, they fell to the ground dead.

Sasuke wanted to run, but he was taken to another place. He looked around the room, and saw his mother and father preparing their ninja gear. Itachi crept behind them, and Sasuke witnessed what no child ever wants to see. Itachi raised the katana over his head, "No, Brother, don't kill them!" But it wasn't reality, it was a memory of what Itachi experience.

_Slash!_

There on the ground, Sasuke saw his parents lying down on the ground. Then Itachi took Sasuke out of his twisted memories and they were back in the real world. Sasuke's screams of terror filled the room, and the echo bounced off the walls. He was clutching his head in pain, both emotional and physical, and fell to his knees.

**You were only in my way**

Itachi deactivated his Sharingan, and looked at Sasuke with no pity. Sasuke was lying on the ground panting, his vision was getting hazy. Confusion was going through his head, "Why?...Why did you kill everyone, Brother? Why?"

Itachi's eyes showed no mercy, and he answered Sasuke's question with the truth, "I did it….To test my abilities. I wanted to see what I was capable of."

Sasuke looked at Itachi with horror, yet with disbelief. "That was it? That is the reason why you killed every single on of them?"

"It was important to me." Itachi said bluntly.

Sasuke staggered to his feet, and lunged at Itachi. But Itachi knew his motives were futile. As Sasuke neared Itachi, he clenched his fists and punched Sasuke in the gut. The pain that Sasuke was going through was unbearable, and again he fell to the ground in front of his parents. Sasuke couldn't hold it any more, tears fell down his face which blurred his eye sight even more.

**  
You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you**

Itachi went up to his little brother, "So Sasuke, did you like my new ability?" Sasuke stayed silent and Itachi continued. "It's called the Mangekyo Sharingan."

"M-mangekyo Sharingan?" Sasuke stuttered between raspy coughs.

"Yes, the Mangekyo Sharingan. I see you've never heard of it. I'm not surprised. Not many people of the Uchiha clan knew of this because not many have actually attempted to obtain it." Itachi began.

Sasuke wondered what this form of Sharingan was, he's never heard of it as Itachi's guessed, but he couldn't figure out how Itachi was able to discover this….this thing. Itachi continued, "It just so happens that I discovered this form of Sharingan while looking at scrolls. It was in the back of the shelf untouched for several years. I took it out, and when I read it I was surprised at the results. As I read the scroll, I found out obtaining the Mangekyo Sharingan had a terrible price."

**  
You thought you were there to guide me**

Sasuke stayed in his place, 'What kind of price did this require?'

Itachi began to chuckle menacingly, "Do you remember the day Shisui committed suicide? And you remember the Konoha Military Police Force suspected me as the murderer?" Sasuke forced a nod. Of course he remembered. It was the day Itachi and his father got in a quarrel. "Well, the price that the Mangekyo required was that you had to kill you closest friend."

Sasuke gasped, "S-So you were…."

"Yes, the suspicions were correct. I did kill Shisui. I drowned him in the river, and wrote a fake suicide note. It was my doing to obtain the Mangekyo Sharingan. Now I'm unstoppable." Itachi smirked holding back another menacing chuckle.

'He killed his best friend just to get-' He couldn't believe all the monstrosity Itachi did. Sasuke looked at his brother in horror. The fear came back to him, and he got back to his feet. "I'm frightened." He whispered. "I'm frightened!" Sasuke screamed, and ran out the door trying to escape his brother's wrath.

Itachi looked at his younger brother trying to escape. 'Foolish little brother.'

**  
You were only in my way**

Sasuke staggered out the door, trying to dodge all the rotting carcasses on the ground. In all his life, Sasuke has never felt this kind of fear before. He always thought that he could be strong, that he was born brave because the Uchiha blood flows in his veins. But all these feeling proved to be for naught.

The tears were uncontrollable now. The saltine taste fell into his mouth. He couldn't believe it. Itachi, his own brother, killed them all. Sasuke did not want to end up like them. He wanted to live, "Don't kill me!" He screamed over again, trying to plead for his life.

He continued running. But finding his way through the streets at night was like trying to find your way in a maze blindfolded. Sasuke turned a corner, but he stopped abruptly. There in front of him, was Itachi waiting for his brother.

**  
You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you**

"Brother, please don't kill me."

His brother's pleads were no use to Itachi, nut he had no intentions of killing Sasuke. "I will not kill you. You're not even worth killing."

'Not even worth killing?'

Itachi's words seared Sasuke like a hot iron. They stayed in that position for a while, and Itachi began speaking once again, "If you want to kill me, then hate me with all your heart. I want you to live life in an unpleasant way. Go cling onto life. Get stronger, train harder. If you wish to defeat me one day then follow what I say."

**I could be mean**

For a while, both of them said nothing, staying in their positions. Sasuke began shaking in fear, he looked down to the ground letting the tears crash to the ground. Once he looked up, he saw that Itachi was gone.

But Itachi wasn't gone, using his speed; he went behind Sasuke's back. Before Sasuke could turn around, he was knocked unconscious by Itachi hitting a pressure point.

As Sasuke fell to the ground, Itachi walked out of the village, leaving his past behind him.

* * *

**I could be angry**

Itachi was far away from Konoha now; he had no regrets of his choice. He did what he needed to do. Now he felt a giant weight off his back. The weight of his parents' expectations, getting stronger, and being the backbone of the clan were problems that no longer existed in Itachi.

He ran through the forest thinking about his life so far. It was the right choice. His childhood isn't something you would call a happy one. Being born into the Uchiha clan was a burden with all its rules preventing Itachi from trying to show his true potential.

"_Come on Itachi, I know you can do better than that!"_

"_Itachi! Honestly, how can I expect you to pass your graduation exam when your form is set up wrong? Not only that, your aim is also horrendous!"_

"_See? What did I tell you Itachi? We will be there."_

_The mission was obviously more important to himself. His mother even promised that they would be there, but he realized that everything was a lie filled with empty promises. _

"_Foolish boy, you think you are strong enough? You weren't even able to block my hand! Sasuke doesn't need me to be there right now. It is you that needs to be trained harder. Now get up you must train."_

"_I-It was Shisui himself. H-He noticed your strange behavior, and wanted us to keep an eye on you."_

There was no time for looking back for Itachi. Right now he needed to focus on his new future ahead of him.

'Father and Mother, you always wanted me to be the strongest. Someday be like you, and maybe even better, but nothing was good enough. No matter how hard I tried, you were never satisfied. It was always training and more training. Nothing else. Is this how you really wanted me to turn out? It wasn't my fault that I killed you. It was yours trying to force me into pursuing the life you wanted me to. As I'm walking away from my former home, I realize that I have no regrets to what I did. Mother, Father, I hope you can hear me now because I have one last thing you guys need to know. All my life I could have strived to be the strongest, be the best you wanted me to be. The one the whole village would look up to. I could've been exactly like you wanted me to. Exactly like you. Living the life you planned exactly in your own vision…..'

**  
You know I could be just like you**

'But I won't'

* * *

Woo Hoo! New one-shot! It's winter break, and I had time to write this Hurray! This is different from my romantic style of writing. I felt that I needed to show Itachi's life as a child growing up with the expectations of his parents and the clan. 

Please, please review because I would really appreciate it! READ AND REIVIEW!

In case any of you were wondering, this song is called 'Just Like You' By Three Days Grace. (LOVE THIS BAND!) At first, I really didn't know what this partcular song meant, but after listening to it, I realized it was about the hardships of growing up with forceful parents. I don't know, I just thought that this song really fit with the theme of this one-shot.

So yeah, that's all I have to say.

GhostofYou


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